Windows 10: How can I use "Hey Cortana" on Android to send texts and play music?

I am a Windows phone fan. I still have my Lumia 1020 and 950. I have Cortana set to ALWAYS ON with EVERY DEVICE WE OWN. I DEPEND upon the ability to use it completely hands-free. When I'm working or when I'm in my car, I NEED the ability to say "Hey, Cortana, text my wife"...and then be able to dictate a text. I NEED the ability to do things like "Hey, Cortana, play artist Kim Wilde"...and then have it play music from that artist.


That capability does NOT seem to exist on Android. I have tried to configure both the Cortana APP as well as Microsoft Launcher. Regardless of which "Cortana" I have set as default (the app or Launcher), if I try to say "Hey, Cortana, text <insert name here" it simply says "I can't do that here, try the Cortana app on your phone". If I try to say "Hey, Cortana, play artist Kim Wilde" it says "I'm on it, now playing Kim Wilde on Spotify"...and then it says it can't do THAT either. I HATE Spotify, by the way, and I want to be able to play MY music. But that's secondary to the fact that YOU CAN'T USE CORTANA ON ANDROID.


So, what is the fix for this? Oh, by the way, with my Windows phones in my car I can press the call button on my steering wheel and say "Call Cortana", at which time the car announces "calling Cortana on cell" and then I get to interact, completely hands-free with my phone. That is IMPOSSIBLE on Android. If I press the call button on my steering wheel and say "Call Cortana" I get a message saying the it can't complete the call (even though Cortana IS set up in the contacts EXACTLY HOW IT IS ON WINDOWS PHONES). Why can't you get THAT working, either?

:)

 

How to enable Hey Cortana on Android

Hi Jerry,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



By default, Hey Cortana feature is turned off unless you activate it. Kindly follow the steps below to enable the feature.

• Launch the Cortana app on your Android device.
  
• Click on the Menu.
  
• Click on Hey Cortana.
  
• Toggle the switch to position On for
  From the Cortana app.
  
  
  

The Hey Cortana feature will not work when the phone is in standby mode, however you can follow the steps mentioned in the article below to enable Cortana on lock screen.



Getting started with Cortana



Hope it helps.



Regards,

Peer Samie

Microsoft Community-Moderator

 

Stop Cortana responding to "hey"?

Did you see my suggestion about training it?

If I just say Hey - nothing happens. Nor if I say 'Hey, you'.

You could try disabling your microphone whilst playing music...

I've not seen Cortana be triggered when I play music... is yours very loud?

 

Stop Cortana responding to "hey"?

I already did that. Are the trainings additive?

I tried testing response to 'hey' and there isn't one, but Cortana continues to be activated by music and says 'hey' in the box where it would normally say 'hey Cortana'.

I don't really want to unplug my microphone; plugging it in (or disabling and re-enabling it in settings) to use Cortana is more effort than just not using Cortana at all and doing things manually. I wouldn't say my music is particularly loud but the speakers and microphone are on the same desk.